Are you covered? Compare quotes for car, life and business insurance right now!

Un Council "Regrets" Zimbabwe Elections; South Africa Limits Action

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:01 AM

Share

Your Email

The United Nations Security Council late Friday expressed its "deep
regret" over the elections in Zimbabwe.

But the highest ranking panel in the international organization was
not able to agree on declaring the highly controversial vote on Friday
for illegal, the French ambassador to the UN, Jean Maurice Ripert, told
reporters.

Ripert said the 15-member council, which apparently met behind
closed doors, had instead "reaffirmed" its declaration from Monday,
when it sent a "very clear message" to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe
that it would be impossible to hold free and fair elections on June 27.

"Today, the government of Zimbabwe chose to ignore this message and
to steal democracy," Ripert said. "This election lost all legitimacy as
for the power which will come from it."

He said the council had expressed "deep regret" that the elections
had gone forward and agreed it would revisit the matter "in the coming
days."

"We hope that the meeting of the African Union will be able to find
a solution to this crisis," Ripert said. "If not, France in liaison
with its partners in the European Union, is ready to discuss extra
measures in the Security Council so that M. Mugabe listens to the voice
of reason."

Britain had proposed a resolution that would have declared the
result of Friday's vote as lacking "credibility and legitimacy." But
South Africa, which has been reticent to use its power status in Africa
to convince the leader of its neighbouring country to stop the killing
and violence against his opponents, blocked the motion, western
diplomats said.

Sapa-dpa

/hr

Sapa

Comments

Please NoteBy commenting on this article, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of the iafrica.com comments system.